Black Swan Images = Costume Heaven

As Clothes on Film has it on good authority that Black Swan is ‘spectacular’ and because we have an interview with director Darren Aronofsky upcoming closer to the UK release date, here are some striking images to get you in ‘that place’.

Black Swan tells the story of two ballerinas (played by Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis) on a New York production of Swan Lake. As rehearsals for the show intensify, their apparently transparent personalities diverge with both an intense rivalry and unusual friendship developing.

Amy Westcott is costume designer for Black Swan, while the overall costume look of the film was very much a collaborative process with Darren Aronofsky, cinematographer Matthew Libatique and production designer Thérèse DePrez. Evoking feeling was considered more important than style.

Selected ballet costumes were made by sisters Laura and Kate Mulleavy, founders of clothing brand Rodarte, who worked closely with Wescott, Aronofsky and American Ballet Theater designer Zack Brown.

The Mulleavy sisters were primarily approached due to their recent ‘vulture’ collection (2010). Many of their ideas were reworked under the guidance of Westcott and Aronofsky for Black Swan.

Realism was a key factor for all off-stage wear. Most of the ensembles were sourced from professional dancewear brand Yumiko.

Rehearsal costumes were a intentional four colour mix, mainly blacks, greys and blues for Lilly (Kunis); pinks and white for Nina (Portman). These colour schemes gradually blend together towards the end of the story.

Black Swan is due for release on 3rd December in the U.S. and 21st January in the UK (originally 11th February). Look out for more coverage, including that all important interview with Darren Aronofsky about the themes of gender and identity in the film nearer the time.